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Watch: Taliban brutally flogs a man in public for allegedly stealing a mobile phone

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Taliban brutally flogs a man in public for allegedly stealing a mobile phone

A video has emerged on social media in which a man was seen getting flogged by Talibs for allegedly stealing a mobile phone. The video is said to be from this weekend. The man kept on screaming in agonising pain while getting publicly flogged. The incident took place in front of the education ministry in Kabul. He was struck multiple times on his shoulders with a whip while being tied to a traffic signal.

Ban on women from coming for work

From last Monday, the ban of women from coming out for work has come to effect. Though the Taliban had “promised” it would have a more moderate government compared to the 1990s, the reality is far different from what they had said. AFP quoted a woman who said she used to work as a senior officer at the ministry of foreign affairs. She said, “I was in charge of a whole department, and there were many women working with me… now we have all lost our jobs.”

The acting mayor also announced that all the posts that were held by the women in the municipal corporation would be soon filled by men. While male students and teachers have been asked to rejoin the schools, millions of girls and women’s academic futures remain in the dark. Reportedly, the ministry of women’s affairs has also been replaced with the ministry ‘for the propagation of virtue and prevention of vice’. Notably, during the 1990s, the said ministry was responsible for imposing Islamic rules in the country. It imposed the harshest Sharia punishments, including executions and amputations.

No meaningful employment for women

As the Taliban is increasing restrictions on women, Afghan women now fear that they will not have any meaningful employment. In the past 20 years, these women had fought for their rights and got a chance to secure a better future as lawmakers, judges, police officers etc. Though such employments were limited to large cities, things were getting better for women in Afghanistan. Now, with the Taliban back in power, the future seems bleak.

Strict Sharia laws

With strict Sharia laws being imposed in the country, such scenes of public flogging and even execution may soon become common in Afghanistan.

Watch: South Korean pop band BTS performs ‘Permission to Dance’ at UNGA

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: South Korean pop band BTS performs ‘Permission to Dance’ at UNGA

South Korean pop band BTS performed at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Monday. They performed their chartbuster ‘Permission to Dance’ at the event.

The South Korean band, which had received diplomatic passports from their president recently, was invited to speak at the UNGA. They also treated their fans to a performance. Jimin, J-Hope, Jin, Suga, RM, Jungkook, and V are some of the most widely loved popstars in the world currently.

It was the third time that BTS has attended the UNGA. The members spoke about how the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world and raised awareness about climate change. Earlier, Deputy Secretary-General of the UN Amina J Mohammed welcomed them to the event.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in had earlier appointed BTS as “special Presidential envoy for future generations and culture”. President Moon Jae-In invited the K-pop boys-band to Cheong Wa Dae (Blue House), Seoul on September 14, Tuesday, where he met the members of BTS and asked them to be his special envoys at the UNGA meeting.

Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani to join Congress: Reports

Jinit Jain
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Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani to join Congress: Reports

Ahead of assembly elections in Gujarat, former JNU ‘student leader’ Kanhaiya Kumar and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani are all set to join the Congress party on October 2, an NDTV report said.

As per the report, the original plan was to induct the two leaders into the Congress party on September 28 but was deferred to October 2, which is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Sources quoted by NDTV, a media organisation considered to be close to the Congress party, have reportedly said the Mevani could be awarded the post of working president of the party’s state unit, the same post which was accorded to Hardik Patel in 2020.

The Vadgam MLA today posted a fawning tweet hailing senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party for electing a Dalit Sikh leader, Charanjit Channi, as the new chief minister of Punjab, possibly a hint towards his future in politics.

“The decision of appointing Charanjit singh ji as the CM of Punjab is a message that @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia have given. It will have tremendous impact amongst not just dalits but all the subaltern masses. For dalits, the move is not just brilliant but soothing too,” Mevani tweeted.

Along with Mevani, the former president of the JNUSU, Kanhaiya Kumar, is also expected to join the Congress party. Kumar had taken the plunge into politics ahead of 2019 general elections by joining the Communist Party of India(CPI) but neither him nor his political party had any impact in the Lok Sabha polls. Kumar contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from his hometown of Begusarai in Bihar but suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the BJP’s Giriraj Singh.

As per sources, Kumar is expected to bring a few other left leaders along with him, underscoring the longstanding contention that Congress and the left are two sides of the same coin.

It is worth noting that Kanhaiya Kumar is one of the accused in the JNU sedition case where anti-national slogans were raised during an event in Jawaharlal Nehru University. In February 2016, the students of JNU had organized an event to mark the anniversary of terrorist Afzal Guru who had attacked the Indian Parliament. Many slogans challenging the Indian State’s sovereignty and calling for its balkanization were raised. At the event, slogans such as ‘Bharat Tere Tukde Honge’ and Afzal hum sharminda hain, tere katil jinda hain’ were reportedly raised.

Similarly, Jignesh Mevani too has troubled antecedents. He has been a virulent critic of Narendra Modi. In his attempt to target the Prime Minister, he has peddled fake news about reservations, was caught on camera trying to stoke caste conflict and spoken about Narendra Modi in an extremely disdainful manner. On hindsight, it’s quite understandable why people have rejected his brand of hateful politics and the Congress seems to have drawn inspiration from him and his ilk.

Whatever be the reasons underlying the accommodation of polarising figures such as Kanhaiya Kumar and Jignesh Mevani, the move nevertheless reveals that the Congress party has little confidence on its grass-roots workers and leadership in Gujarat and is relying on new recruits to power their assembly election campaign.

Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra gets bail in pornography case, after spending two months in jail

OpIndia Staff
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Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra gets bail in pornography case, after spending two months in jail

After spending over 60 days in jail, Raj Kundra has been awarded bail in the pornography case. He is the husband of actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra. The Magistrate court in Mumbai has granted bail to the businessman on a personal bond of Rs 50,000. Along with Raj Kundra, co-accused Ryan Thorpe was also granted bail by a court.

Raj Kundra, a British citizen, was arrested in July for allegedly creating pornographic content and distributing it via paid apps. 

Mumbai Police has opposed Raj Kundra’s bail plea

The Mumbai Police had opposed his bail application on August 10, claiming that he is a flight risk who may flee the country to avoid punishment. The Mumbai Police Department stated that Raj Kundra’s offences are serious and that the inquiry is still ongoing to determine all of the apps where the films were uploaded. The police also warned the court that if the accused is released on bond, he may conduct similar crimes by uploading obscene videos. Giving him bail would send a wrong message to the public and have a negative impact on the culture, Mumbai police had argued.

Police had added that the possibility that Kundra may try to destroy evidence while being out on bail could not be ignored.

Raj Kundra arrested in pornography case

On July 19, actor Shilpa Shetty’s husband, Raj Kundra, was arrested by Mumbai Police for his alleged role in creating and publishing pornographic films on some mobile applications. As per reports, he had appeared before the Property Cell of Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch for questioning, after which he was placed under arrest.

Raj Kundra and his associate have been booked under sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292 and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) of IPC besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.

Dalit Sikhs – Who are they and what is their role in Punjab politics

Anurag
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Dalit Sikhs – Who are they and what is their role in Punjab politics

‘Dalit Sikh’, a technically and constitutionally correct term is baffling everyone since the name of the new Chief Minister of Punjab was announced. On September 19, Charanjit Singh Channi was elected as the new Chief Minister of Punjab after former CM Capt Amarinder Singh resigned from the post a day earlier.

All media houses mentioned that new Punjab CM Channi is a Dalit Sikh. While the term is technically correct, a majority of Indians who have a little bit of knowledge of Sikhism got confused as Sikh as a religion rejects the concept of caste and race. However, caste-based discrimination is still observed by the majority of Sikhs across the world.

Sections among Sikhs based on caste

With 63% Sikhs, Punjab is a Sikh-majority state. Notably, 72% of the Sikhs live in the rural areas of Punjab. In her paper titled “Jat Sikhs: A Question of Identity”, Ravinder Kaur, professor of sociology at IIT Delhi, said that “Caste as an occupational division of labour was, and is, very much a part of village life.” This is evident despite the fact that Sikh doctrine rejected the institution of caste. In reality, caste is very much part of Punjab’s rural as well as urban ethos.

If Sikhs go by the rules set by the Gurus, they should not use castes as surnames but use Singh or Kaur as per the gender. However, the census data showed a different picture. Sikhs have over 25 castes recorded in censuses from 1881 to 1921 named Jats, Khatris, Aroras, Ramgarhias, Ahluwalias, Bhapas, Bhattras, Rais, Sainis, Lobanas, Kambojs, Ramdasias, Ravidasias, Rahtias, Mazhbis, and Rangretas.

Jat Sikhs dominate the castes in Punjab, and the majority of them are concentrated in the rural regions. Most of the Jat-Sikhs are landlords and agriculturists. They are often termed as the backbone of the Punjab peasantry, which has enabled them to have a hold on the majority of the posts in Punjab politics as well. Notably, Channi’s appointment as CM of Punjab is termed as the first in history that someone from the Dalit community has become Chief Minister. Before CM Channi, only Giani Zail Singh was CM of Punjab from the non-Jat community.

Dalit Sikhs are further divided into two communities with first-named Mazhabis and Rangretas. They are also known as Ad-Dharmis. These were the scavengers or sweepers communities. These communities initially converted to Sikhism to get rid of their ‘caste’. Mazhabis and Rangretas have a glorious history as soldiers, but unfortunately, they never found a place equal to the upper castes in Sikhs. Several studies have suggested that Jat Sikhs and other upper castes often refuse to associate with them during religious ceremonies.

The second community in Dalit Sikhs consists of Ramdasias and Ravidasias. These Sikhs earlier belonged to cobblers and weavers communities who converted to Sikhism. Ramdasias are still indulged in weaving businesses, while Ravidasias are mostly engaged in the professions related to leatherwork.

The perspective of land ownership to show the power

Caste discrimination in the Sikh community is based majorly on land ownership rather than the general perceptions of caste discrimination. According to the 1991 Census, Dalits comprises 28.3% of the population in Punjab. The national average stands at 16.32%. Even though they are in a higher percentage in the state, the Dalit community does not have landowners. The majority of agricultural land in Punjab belongs to Jat Sikhs. Reports suggest Dalits own only 0.72% of the cultivated land in Punjab, and the inequality forces them to work either as labourers in the fields owned by Jat Sikhs or choose other professions.

Harish K. Puri, retired professor of political science and B.R. Ambedkar Chair, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar wrote that the settlements in rural Punjab are divided into upper and lower castes. The lower castes are supposed to live on the side where water flows when it rains and take dirt and debris with it. Dalits are often not allowed to build houses using concrete, often known as pucca houses, as the land where they live is often claimed by the Jat-Sikhs.

The unsaid but very visible division among Sikhs over caste

These days, Dalit Sikhs often interact with Jat Sikhs while working as labourers, the communities do not use utensils used by the upper caste Sikhs. There are separate cremation grounds for Dalit Sikhs. To add more pain to the whole unsaid but visible division, the Gurudwaras for upper caste Sikhs are often deemed not accessible for the Dalit Sikhs.

There have indeed been several attempts to remove the caste system from Sikh communities, the problem is still persisting, especially in the rural areas. There was a movement, the “Singh Sabha movement”, that was started in 1873 to revitalize Sikhism. One of the aims was to remove untouchability among Sikhs. However, after almost 150 years, caste inequality is still evident.

As a result, Dalit Sikhs were forced to establish separate Gurudwaras. The search for alternative cultural space forced Dalit Sikhs to form or associate with Deras and different religious denominations. While people do not see Sikhs as a community that can be divided based on the caste system, the truth cannot be ignored that the Dalit Sikhs are struggling to find their representation not only in government but in every aspect of society.

Effect of caste division on Punjab and political arena in the state

As there is a lack of representation of Dalit Sikhs in politics, their voice often gets suppressed. It is one of the reasons why giving representation to a Dalit has become an important turning point in the politics of Punjab. In May 2021, a video of a Pathi went viral in which he was seen praying for PM Modi’s long life and backed BJP’s reported decision to project a Dalit as CM candidate in the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. The viral video led to his arrest for ‘hurting religious sentiments. A similar incident later happened in Bathinda, and the Pathi ended up losing his job. 

Another example of how deeply embedded the caste system in the Sikh community can be observed from the fact that the Sikhs from the Dalit community thanked the upper caste Sikhs for providing them food and other relief material during the Covid pandemic. According to a report, if they had not ‘helped’ the Dalit Sikh community, it would have been impossible for the community to survive. It was seen as a major turn of events as it is rare for the upper caste Sikhs to come forward to support Mazhabi Sikhs.

On the other hand, In May last year, Ghanauri Khurd village in Punjab’s Sangrur district was in the news for all the wrong reasons. The ‘dominant caste landowners’, which can be read as Jat Sikh landowners, passed a resolution to stop Dalits from going out of the village to work in fields unless they have completed sowing in the farms in the village. They also reduced the daily wage to Rs. 300 and sowing wage to merely Rs. 3,800 for sowing paddy. But why such resolutions happened across the state of Punjab? The reason was stated as the nationwide lockdown that stopped the labourers from the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to come to Punjab for work. Interestingly, it shows how these landlords had exploited the immigrant workers for decades by paying them less.

Back in 2003, it was the time when the scuffle between Jat-Sikhs and Mazhabi Sikhs in Talhan, Punjab came to the limelight across the country. On June 5, 2003, Dalit Sikhs and the dominant Jat-Sikhs came face-to-face over the management of Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh shrine. Around a decade before the scuffle, donations started to flow in from overseas Punjabis for the Gurudwara. Dalits demanded their representation in the management of the shrine that was refused by the Jat Sikhs. The matter went to court, and the judgement came in favour of the Dalits, but it was again refused by the Jat Sikhs. The matter went to court again, and Dalits got another judgement in their favour resulting in the Jat Sikhs walking out from the management altogether.

The scuffle resulted in fights followed by an economic blockade of the Dalit community in Talhan. The situation was so tense that they were not even allowed to defecate in open areas in the region. On June 5, the two communities came face-to-face and the fight left one person dead, and dozens were injured. Both communities blamed each other, but reportedly Dalits faced maximum damage. Around ten houses were damaged, out of which maximum belonged to the Dalit community.

When Police intervened, it had to open fire, and one Dalit Sikh was killed. It irked the Dalit community that resulted in riots that continued for days. It took two months for the Amarinder Singh government to step in. It was one of the incidents that turned Punjab politics upside down and showed the world how divided the communities are in the “most prosperous state” of the country. Several such incidents prove how deep-rooted the problem is in the state.

Last two cents

I have lived in Punjab all my life. As I am not a Sikh and belong to an upper-caste family, it took me years to realize that how problematic the situation is in Punjab. During the first twenty years that I had spent in my home town in the Malwa region, for 15 years, I did not come across any atrocities against Dalit Sikhs, but it was only after an incident that took place near my house that changed my perspective. A Dalit Sikh was beaten up for drinking water from the table that was meant for the upper caste Sikhs at a wedding. That was the first time I came to know Sikhs do practice caste. Slowly, I came across several incidents where Dalit Sikhs were not paid equally, or they were mocked for being Dalits.

After shifting from my hometown, also in Punjab, I came across five different incidents where during commissioned projects, I was asked not to go to the popular Gurudwara but to visit another one in a village as the client was Dalit Sikh. When asked, he said that his community never visited the main Gurudwara. It was not told but assumed, as per him, that they should go to their Gurudwara only. On questioning the client’s mother, I found out that the Mazhabi Sikhs built the Gurudwara long before as they were not respected if they visited the main Gurudwara in the village.

I believe the discrimination of Dalit Sikhs in Punjab is one of the prominent reasons why these communities are again converting to a different religion. The aim of converting to Sikhism was to shed off the castes, but it lingered on with them. So much so that the government of India also recognize the Dalit community in Sikhs, and they are eligible for the benefits of reservation under different schemes. However, the pain of being mocked and ridiculed by the so-called upper caste in the Sikh community is now forcing the Dalit Sikhs to convert to Christianity as it promises to shed away the castes.

Sadly, Dalit Christians are also becoming a thing, and the Dalit community in Christianity is building their own churches as they are ridiculed by the “upper caste Christians”. Dalits in Christianity are also demanding rights to benefits under different schemes, but it has been denied. In Feb 2021, then-Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that Dalits who had shunned their faith and converted to Islam and Christianity would not be permitted to contest parliamentary or assembly elections from constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and will not be allowed to claim other reservation benefits.

While Dalit Sikh as CM is a refreshing change for Punjab, no one can be sure if it will be a beneficial thing for the state or it will backfire and bite the politicians in coming Assembly elections.

How American soil is used by Pakistan-backed Khalistani elements to sow seeds of terrorism in India

Kabir Kashyap
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How American soil is used by Pakistan-backed Khalistani elements to sow seeds of terrorism in India

Though the existence of demand for a separate Sikh state can be traced back to the period before Indian Independence, the violence associated with the demand had its origins only in the late 1970s, that surged through 1980s and early 1990s. The fifteen years of Khalistani violence that saw thousands of Sikhs massacred during that period could stage a return if the attempts of the foreign diaspora and foreign influence to reignite and fuel Khalistani sentiments are not curbed. According to the research conducted by the Hudson Institute, Pakistani Intelligence ISI might be involved in the funding and organization of the pro-Khalistani terrorism.

The US Department of State’s Country Report on Terrorism 2019 :Pakistan says, “Islamabad has yet to take decisive actions against Indian- and Afghanistan-focused militants who would undermine their operational capability.” It is widely believed that both the Kashmir terrorism and Khalistani terrorism represent implementation of the Pakistan’s plan for India, which is, “bleeding India with a thousand cuts”. Even when the USA and international community criticize and condemn Pakistan for its role in harbouring terrorists.

Despite the rising public opinion against Pakistan within the United States, America for some reasons never considered reshaping its foreign foreign policy to suppress terrorism and jihad in Pakistan. Instead, peddled the belief that Pakistan’s terrorism is a problem for the regional countries that does not concern the United States. However, when Mumbai was attacked in November 2008 by the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists, 174 people were killed including several Americans. After the Mumbai tragedy, the USA acted as if it had taken notice of the Pakistan’s ISI and Pakistan sponsored terrorism and started regular Congressional hearings to discuss terrorism related matters. The United States government, however, ignored the violence perpetrated by the Khalistani separatists who were active in United States, UK and Canada.

The most alarming development which seems taking place is perhaps the co-ordination between the Khalistani and the Kashmiri separatists and terrorists. This was showed in the recent protests and demonstrations held in the western countries. Some examples of this co-ordination are the August 2020 New York demonstration against India and September 2019 incident when these activists captured slogans and images from the Black Lives Matter movement . Similar demonstrations also took place in Washington DC, Houston, Ottawa, London, Brussels, Geneva and other
European areas.

Therefore, proper investigation of the Khalistani separatist activities, especially in North America, under the framework of the law is of utmost importance in determining national security planning. Also, the rise of Khalistani activism in the United States must be understood in terms of the growing India-US ties to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Pakistan, which is an ally of China harbors its own ambitions to weaken India and thus damaging Indo-US relation by covertly supporting Khalistani activism would be in its agenda.

The Khalistani movement and Pakistan’s role in it

In 1947, India was divided into two countries and Islamic Republic of Pakistan was formed on religious lines. According to the 1941 census of the undivided Punjab, 53% of the population were Muslims, Hindus represented 29% while the Sikhs constituted only 15%.

After India gained independence, some Sikh separatists demanded a separate state, much on the lines of Pakistan. Though, this time they wanted a state where they formed a majority. The demand was declined by the Indian government for its communal nature. The Sikh political leadership changed considerably in the years that followed and eventually the demand was for a state based on culture and language and not religion.

This led to the Punjab Suba movement and on 1 November, 1966, Punjab and Haryana were formed. Hill regions were transferred to Himachal Pradesh. However, the separatists were not pleased and soon arms were taken up by these Sikh separatists in order to create a separate Sikh country.

Even though the local causes for the rise of Sikh militancy is debatable, Pakistan’s role in supporting the armed revolt is believed to be true and a direct consequence of 1971 break up of Pakistan, when Bangladesh was formed out of East Pakistan with the help of the Indian armed forces. Following 1971 war, the only thing Pakistan wanted was revenge, and more specifically, “bleeding India with a thousand cuts.” Thus, post 1971 Pakistan’s policy and strategical measures underwent transition and became entirely dedicated to hurt India along the religious, political and ethnic lines. In this way, the foundation of the Khalistan movement was laid.

The ethnic cleansing, forced conversions, targeted attacks on Gurudwaras have reduced the Sikhs, Hindus and the Christians into a small fraction of a community in Pakistan. Yet Pakistan assumes to be the Champion of Khalistani causes and support the Khalistan militancy.

Owen Sirrs in his 2016 book Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate: Covert Action and Internal Operations gave a description about the role of Pakistan in supporting Khalistan movement. “Pakistanis were reevaluating their UW (unconventional warfare) program” the book says as “the strategy was not achieving its objectives, namely weakening India, forcing a referendum on Kashmir’s future, and eventually incorporating all of 1947 Kashmir into Pakistan.” Special Services Group (SSG) came into existence in 1957 trained by the CIA and US Army, led by the commander Lt. Colonel Abubakar Osman Mitha. Sirrs said “SSG’s creation reflected a broad trend in Pakistani army thinking regarding insurgent warfare.”

After the Operation Gibraltar carried out by the SSG and the 1965 war, the ISI became the principal supporter of Khalistani terrorism and implemented the strategy “West Pakistan providing access to Kashmir and Punjab while East Pakistan enabled ISI and SSG to tap into active insurgencies in India’s remote Assam province”. Sirrs also mentioned that Pakistan’s General ul-Haq saw the Khalistani insurgency as “an opportunity to weaken and distract the Indian government by miring it in yet another insurgent war ‘of a thousand cuts.’”

It is believed that the ISI in Pakistan mostly cater to the Islamists but its association with the Khalistani extremists is based on “a weakened, divided, and distracted India was most certainly a desirable objective even if this required alliances with otherwise unlikely parties such as the Khalistan extremists. As an instrument of state policy, it was ISI’s mission to exploit the Sikh extremists for Pakistan’s national interests.”

Sikhs For Justice or SFJ

The Ministry of Home affairs under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) banned the UK-based secessionist group called Sikhs For Justice organization in 2019 and declared several members linked to it as terrorists. Later, terrorism-linked charges were filed by National Investigation Agency(NIA) against ten people which also had Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of the Sikh For justice in the list.

It was also alleged that Pannun was involved with arson and violence in Punjab in 2017-2018. Pannun and Sikhs for Justice supporters were also accused of “carrying out of propaganda activities both online and on ground” and planning Referendum 2020 which was an unofficial poll of the Sikhs and an attempt by the SFJ to gain world wide support for Khalistan ‘independence’. Indian officials defined Sikh For Justice as “a gang of radicalized Sikh youth under the direction [of] and [with] financial assistance from SFJ handlers located abroad as part of an organized conspiracy by the accused for launching a concerted secessionist campaign for creation of Khalistan”.

A letter sent by Pannun to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan came under heavy scrutiny of the NIA where the title of the letter claimed that “December 16 ‘Fall of Dhaka’ is the past, ‘Fall of Delhi’ is inevitable”. The letter also mentioned that “Pakistan should be prepared to recognize new neighbor Khalistan”. Unusual Pakistan’s influence and bias could be traced in the letter with shades of propaganda dialogues normally used by the Pakistani military.

Khalistani Separatism in the United States

In 2019, Islamists in the presence of Ghulam Nabi Fai, an agent from Pakistan and other so-called activists and officials from the political party headed by Imran Khan protested in Houston at the time of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit. There was a demonstration featuring “Go Back Modi” in a truck rally arranged by none other than the Sikhs For Justice leader Pannun, Sikh Association of America, Friends of Kashmir’s leader Ghazala Habib, also a representative Kashmiri Hurriyat political alliance. The truck rally carried the message “call by Pro Khalistan Sikhs & Organizations Supporting People of Kashmir”.

It may be important here to note that in another event which occurred in August 2020, where Friends of Kashmir, an anti India organization with international presence supported by Pakistan, co-operated with the Pakistani Embassy in Washington D.C. In a similar manner, it was found that other Kashmiri organizations in the USA have formed alliance with the Khalistani groups. Stand With Kashmir (SWK) for example, is considered as “one of the most influential voices in America on the subject of Kashmir.” It is believed to be backed by Sikh progressivist groups such as Ruthless Collective which was allegedly a British-Canadian Sikh organization. SWK also co-ordinated with Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI) and the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) to stage protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in December 2019.

Another link between Pakistan and Khalistani separatists is that in 2006, a Pakistani national Khalid Awan was found guilty by a federal bench of Brooklyn, New York, of funding the terrorist organization Khalistan Command Force (KCF). US Department of Justice stated “KCF was formed in 1986 and is comprised of Sikh militants who seek to establish a separate Sikh state in the Punjab region of India. The organization has engaged in numerous assassinations of prominent Indian government officials—including the murder of Chief Minister Beant Singh of Punjab in 1995—and hundreds of bombings, acts of sabotage, and kidnappings.”

At Awan’s trial, the US government offered the recordings of his prison telephone calls to Panjwar, Pakistan, in which Awan spoke of recruiting new members for the KCF and admitted having had sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to KCF in the past.

According to the research report, Sikhs for Justice is not the only Khalistani organization based in the United States. SFJ is also accompanied by various other groups and media organizations such as US Media International, Khabardar Punjab TV, Kashmir Khalistan Referendum Front (KKRF). Sikhs For Justice or SFJ is also found to be associating with Global Sikh Affairs Media and Khalistan Affairs Center (KAC). The Sikhs for Justice also allegedly runs a Khalistan Embassy that contains the address of an ashram in California in the website registrant address but at the same time also lists the address where it claims to be the main Sikh gurudwara in the United States on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington, DC.

This Article is based on the research conducted by STUDY GROUP ON KASHMIR AND KHALISTAN MOVEMENTS:
DR. APARNA PANDE, HUDSON INSTITUTE; DR. CHRISTINE FAIR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY; SAM WESTROP, MIDDLE EAST FORUM;
SETH OLDMIXON, LIBERTY SOUTH ASIA; MICHAEL RUBIN, AEI; HUSAIN HAQQANI, HUDSON INSTITUTE

El Salvador: Opposition and media call President Nayib Bukele a ‘dictator’, he says he is, declares that in Twitter bio

OpIndia Staff
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El Salvador: Opposition and media call President Nayib Bukele a ‘dictator’, he says he is, declares that in Twitter bio

Nayib Bukele, 40-year-old President of El Salvador, has declared himself a ‘dictator’ in his Twitter bio that now reads, “Dictador de El Salvador”, which translates to “Dictator of El Salvador”. Earlier, it used to say, “Papá de Layla”, which means “Layla’s Dad”, referring to his only daughter. The recent change in the bio came after the opposition and media called him a dictator.

President Nayib Bukele changed bio to ‘Dictator of El Salvador’ (Left) from ‘Layla’s Dad’ (Right) recently

On September 15, thousands of Salvadorans came out on the roads to protest against the government’s decision to introduce Bitcoin as legal tender. They also protested against the reforms introduced in the judicial system that the critics deemed as a threat to democracy. The protestors were seen holding placards denouncing a ‘dictatorship’, ‘respect the constitution’ and ‘no to Bitcoins’.

Bukele, in a tweet, condemned the protests and called them out for the destruction of property. He said, “They say the ‘vandalism’ was done by ‘infiltrators,’ but there is vandalism at ALL their protests.” He also added a video of a masked woman who was kicking down a glass security wall. He also blamed the “international community” for fueling the protests by providing funds for the same.

The judges had also joined the protests against the law that deemed judges above the age of 60 or with 30-years of service to be laid off. Reports suggest that it would affect one-third of the judges serving in different courts. The protestors also raised voice against the ruling of the Supreme Court that allowed Bukele to seek a second successive term though the constitution of El Salvador allows only one term. It has been alleged that the ruling was passed by the judges appointed by Bukele.

Bukele has been called dictator before

This is not the first time Nayib Bukele has been called a dictator. In January 2021, he briefly changed his profile picture to an image of Sacha Baron Cohen from the movie the Dictator. The brief change happened after being called a dictator multiple times for ruling that came in favour of extending his term as President from five years to six years.

Bukele had minted every opportunity in the past to turn things in his favour, especially the significant drop in homicides during his term since 2019, when he became the President of the country. During his tenure, he has granted additional powers to police and military to control crime, which was, in fact, one of the promised that he had made during elections and paved the way for his win.

Bukele describes himself as the “coolest President”. However, he has been accused of using state agencies to ‘harass’ journalists and investigate opposition parties. A new constitution is being draft for the country, which is expected to be revealed later in 2021. Bukele has said once that he wanted to ensure that his opponents never return to power.

However, his popularity is on the rise in the country for several reasons, including the drop in crime rate and Covid-19 management.

Gujarat: Heroin worth Rs 9000 crore smuggled from Afghanistan seized at Mundra port

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Heroin worth Rs 9000 crore smuggled from Afghanistan seized at Mundra port

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have recently confiscated containers carrying heroin worth an estimated Rs 9,000 crore from Mundra Port in Gujarat’s Kutch. The drugs were reportedly smuggled from Afghanistan. The shipment was loaded in Iran’s port and had 7 Iranian nationals onboard.

According to the reports, the officials discovered the contraband after stopping a consignment for inspection. On carrying out the examination, they found drugs worth crores being imported under the name of “talcum powder”.

Initial investigation has linked the smuggled contraband to one Aashi Trading firm based out of Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada. As per reports, DRI had got a tip-off about the consignment and has been working to seize it for the last five days. Mundra port is managed by the Adani Group.

The investigating agencies found that the consignment was declared as “talcum powder” by the Vijayawada based firm. As per sources quoted by news reports, the exporting firm has been identified as one Hassan Hussain Ltd., based in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Initially, the value of seized heroin was estimated to be Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 crores. However, after thorough inspection, it was determined that heroin imported from Afghanistan was worth Rs 9,000 crores.

Vijayawada company raided

After the role of the Vijayawada-based firm came to light, the police immediately rushed to the company’s office and detained its representatives. The company representatives have reportedly said that the firm is involved in the transport business and it has got nothing to do with the impounded heroin discovered by DRI officials in Gujarat.

In its investigation, the police found that the plan was to smuggle the drugs to southern states from Gujarat. However, they are yet to conclude what the original plan of the smuggling racket was. They are yet to determine if the plan was to first transport the drugs to Vijayawada and from there to other south Indian cities or directly to Chennai via Vijayawada.

The investigation is currently underway and the authorities are probing all possible angles. The executives of Aashi Trading Company are held in custody and are being probed over the seizure of such a massive amount of drugs found in Mundra port.

The seizure of drugs from Afghanistan came hot on the heels of arrests made by Guntur police a few days back, which involved a gang selling synthetic drugs online. Police are also in shock to learn about Vijayawada being the location from where Rs 9,000 crore of heroin was ordered. Sources believe all the facts of the case will come out only after the police and DRI authorities conduct an in-depth investigation into the incident.

TMC impact? Babul Supriyo loses more Twitter followers in one day than he had gained in previous one month

OpIndia Staff
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TMC impact? Babul Supriyo loses more Twitter followers in one day than he had gained in previous one month

Newly minted TMC leader Babul Supriyo has lost more Twitter followers in one day than the gains he made during the previous one and a half months. The MP from Asansol, who abandoned the BJP to join TMC recently, lost as many as 2145 followers on Sunday and the decline has continued on Monday.

Between the 4th of August and 18th of September, Babul Supriyo gained 1464 followers. Then on the 19th of September, Sunday, he lost 2145 followers on Twitter. On Monday so far, he has lost 174 at the time of writing this report.

In fact, his follower numbers saw a decline on Sunday for the first time in 25 days.

Babul Supriyo loses Twitter followers
The third column indicates followers gained or lost in a day (Source: Social Blade)

Consequently, weekly followers count for Babul Supriyo showed a distinct decline on the 20th of September.

Babul Supriyo loses Twitter followers
Source: Social Blade

The followers count has slipped from 343,255 on the 13th of September to 341,078 on the 20th of September.

Source: Social Blade

People have been calling for users to unfollow Babul Supriyo since he joined the Trinamool Congress. They were angry with him over what they consider to be treachery.

Babul Supriyo has admitted that he joined the TMC because he was made an offer that would permit him to resume his normal public life. “Mamata Banerjee presented with a fantastic opportunity so that I could continue my public life in West Bengal and can resume my public life with grace and purpose… And I can continue singing. There’s going to be a lot of flak, a lot of memes… But the opportunity is worth the challenge,” he said.

Babul Supriyo admits he joined TMC because Mamata Banerjee made an offer that would allow him to sing and resume normal public life

OpIndia Staff
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Babul Supriyo admits he joined TMC because Mamata Banerjee made an offer that would allow him to sing and resume normal public life

Former BJP politician Babul Supriyo has already drawn flak just two days after joining the TMC. In his latest statement, the now TMC member was heard rooting for Mamata Banerjee as the next Prime Minister. According to the Member of Parliament (MP) from the Asansol constituency, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is among the top frontrunners for the prime ministerial post in 2024.

“I want that the captain of our party Mamata Banerjee becomes the Prime Minister in 2024. Opposition plays an important role in a democratic system. Nobody can deny the fact that Mamata Banerjee is among the top frontrunners for the prime ministerial post,” media reports have quoted Supriyo as saying.

Heaping praises on the Trinamool Congress party supremo within two days of him joining, Supriyo said that Mamata Banerjee offered him a role in the TMC which allowed him to sing. “Mamata Banerjee presented with a fantastic opportunity so that I could continue my public life in West Bengal and can resume my public life with grace and purpose… And I can continue singing. There’s going to be a lot of flak, a lot of memes… But the opportunity is worth the challenge,” he said.

Babul Supriyo had faced strong criticism by BJP supporters for his sudden decision to join TMC, as he had announced that he is quitting politics. He that taken to Twitter to justify his political decision.

Violence in West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee’s regime

Meanwhile, considering that Mamata Banerjee has the qualities to replace Prime Minister Narendra Modi and take on the task of running the entire country is quite wishful thinking considering the West Bengal CM has made no serious attempt to curb violence and put her house in order in the past decade. In fact, her party members have unabashedly carried out bloodshed and mayhem in the state, with no regard for the rule of law.

After BJP gained significance in the state, the ruling Trinamool Congress has waged a bloody campaign against the party. Several BJP workers have been killed allegedly by TMC cadres in the last few months. In fact, the ‘Khela hobe’ slogan, coined by Mamata Banerjee ahead of the West Bengal Vidhan Sabha polls, promptly became a war cry for Trinamool Congress goons to loot, maim, slaughter, and rape rival BJP workers. 

Babul Supriyo takes massive U-turn, joins TMC

On Saturday, September 18, the official Twitter handle of the TMC announced that the former union minister joined the Mamata Banerjee led party in presence of senior TMC leaders Abhishek Banerjee and Derek O’Brien.

Less than two months ago, Babul Supriyo had said that he is exiting politics, saying that he will also resign from the Lok Sabha. However, he has resigned as MP yet. He had taken the decision after he was dropped from the union ministry in the recent cabinet reshuffle. He was the Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change in the Modi government, but he was dropped from the govt during the cabinet reshuffle on July 7.

However, his joining the TMC today has meant that he has not quit politics, and he had only left BJP. After ‘quitting politics’ and BJP, he had claimed that he will not be joining any other party. He had even dismissed rumours that he was joining TMC, but he has taken a massive U-turn now.

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